Federal judge Robert Blackburn this April will be stepping down from his bench on Colorado’s U.S. District Court.

Yesterday Colorado’s junior Sen. Cory Gardner broke with the tradition of respecting senatorial seniority and announced that he’ll be putting together his own judicial evaluation committee to vet applicants eager to be Colorado’s next federal judge.

Senior Sen. Michael Bennet is in the process of forming his own bipartisan committee. Traditionally, that’s what senior senators do. And, traditionally, the junior senator would work with his colleague.

As for Bennet, he’s happy to consider Gardner’s second committee’s nominations.

“We will have an ongoing bipartisan process and will welcome any recommendations that they submit,” Bennet’s spokesman Adam Bozzi told The Colorado Independent.

Gardner’s office didn’t reply to our requests for an interview about why he formed the second committee rather then working with Bennet on a speedy process. We would have liked to have asked him if he thinks Bennet’s office is too slow or if this is Gardner’s political attempt to circumvent bipartisanship and appeal to no-compromise conservatives?

“I take my responsibility to recommend Colorado judicial nominees to the President seriously and there is particular urgency in filling this vacancy,” Gardner said in a release.

OUR MISSION

The Colorado Independent's award-winning team of veteran investigative and explanatory reporters and news columnists aims to amplify the voices of Coloradans whose stories are unheard, shine light on the relationships between people, power and policy, and hold public officials to account. We strive to report the news with context, social conscience, and soul, and to give Coloradans the insight they need to promote conversation, understanding and progress in this square, swing state we call home.

BEATS

OUR MISSION

The Colorado Independent's award-winning team of veteran investigative and explanatory reporters and news columnists aims to amplify the voices of Coloradans whose stories are unheard, shine light on the relationships between people, power and policy, and hold public officials to account. We strive to report the news with context, social conscience, and soul, and to give Coloradans the insight they need to promote conversation, understanding and progress in this square, swing state we call home.